WKU News

The FFOYA House non-profit arts organization of Bowling Green was awarded a 2017 Arts Meets Activism grant from the Kentucky Foundation for Women to support a series of art and writing workshops for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence as well as two public art, music and literature shows.

The workshops will bring together clients of the Barren River Area Safe Space domestic violence shelter and the Hope Harbor Sexual Trauma Recovery Center to create with local artists. Their creative work will then be showcased at FFOYA House during domestic violence awareness month on Oct. 13 and sexual assault prevention month in April 2018, as well as in printed zines.

FFOYA House co-founder and WKU Professor Amanda J. Crawford is the lead artist on the project and will lead writing workshops. Crawford, a creative nonfiction writer who teaches journalism at WKU, is also a survivor herself and looks forward to helping participants explore their creativity.

“Creating art in any form is a way to express yourself, understand yourself and find your voice,” Crawford said. “I am so pleased that the Kentucky Foundation for Women recognizes this and is supporting this project.”

Well-known local visual artists Courtney Beckley and Chloe Lee will join Crawford for the first workshops in the series. Beckley, of Ingen Art studio, will lead a mural-painting workshop in August. Lee, who helps curate the art gallery at FFOYA House, will share techniques for self-portrait painting in September. FFOYA House will also provide childcare and arts activities for the participants’ children during the workshop, coordinated by local artisan Lauren Culbreth.

The project evolved from FFOYA House’s relationship with BRASS and Hope Harbor that developed through successful art, music and literature events over the last two years. BRASS executive director Tori Henninger approached FFOYA House about pursuing the grant after the 2016 Domestic Violence Awareness Month show at FFOYA House that collected food and personal care items for the shelter.

"Continuing our partnership with the FFOYA House is an exciting venture for BRASS that can lead down a path for more alternative therapy styles,” Henninger said. “Creating opportunities for artistic style therapy for the victims of domestic violence that we serve allows our agency to assist in coping styles that help people heal in different ways."

Writing and art developed during the workshops will be showcased at the Domestic Violence Awareness Month Show from 5-10 p.m. on Oct. 13 at FFOYA House, 1035 Kentucky St. in Bowling Green. The event will be part of the popular BG Gallery Hop and will feature music by two bands, Wet Eyed Liars of Bowling Green and Chew of Atlanta. Food and personal care donations will be collected for the shelter.

About FFOYA House: FFOYA House is a non-profit community arts venue and social justice collective located in a century-old Victorian across from the Warren County Jail in Bowling Green. FFOYA House believes in “art as a voice” and aims to connect working class artists and creative people with community causes and sustainable living practices. Learn more at www.ffoyahouse.com.

About BRASS: The Barren River Area Safe Space, Inc. is a regional domestic violence 26-bed shelter and program founded in 1980 to serve the community’s need to provide emergency shelter and support services to victims of domestic violence and their children. BRASS provides services to residents of the 10-county Barren River Area Development District: Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Hart, Logan, Metcalfe, Monroe, Simpson and Warren. For information, visit www.barrenriverareasafespace.com or www.facebook.com/barrenriverareasafespaceinc.

About Hope Harbor Inc.: Hope Harbor is a non-profit crisis counseling center that provides one-of-a-kind services to victims of sexual assault and their families and friends. These services are available to residents in Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Hart, Logan, Metcalfe, Monroe, Simpson, and Warren Counties in Kentucky. The main office is in Bowling Green with satellite offices for additional counseling services located in Glasgow and Russellville. All Hope Harbor services are FREE and CONFIDENTIAL to all individuals impacted by sexual violence regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, race, religion or cultural identity. Learn more at http://hopeharbor.net or www.facebook.com/HopeHarborInc.

Contact: ffoyahouse@gmail.com or 602-615-0465